Top Gear: Career Edition

Here’s a thought. Look at your career like gears in a car.

Are you in park? Is your career parked in your current role, and you are preparing for the long haul? What kind of journey do you expect while in park? My guess is consistently going nowhere. I don’t believe this is the ideal gear, but for some, it may be what you want right now.

Are you in reverse? Reverse can be beneficial for later in your career if you are trying to hang on until retirement while continuing to make some money. If you are not approaching retirement, reverse serves a purpose to avoid early burnout, or to re-evaluate your direction or career path, or to take a step back and regroup. Otherwise, don’t get caught in reverse.

Are you in neutral? Are you happy doing what you’re doing and just coasting? Neutral can be for a short period of time but long term, no one will even see you. Try and get out of neutral by setting some attainable goals that will allow you to slowly put it in drive.

Well, are you in drive? There are two settings within drive. The first is cruise control. This is where you’re moving along, happy in your role, usually a role player that basically takes minimal risk and gets the job done. You fulfill your duties and get a pat on the back. Perhaps you’re waiting for something to happen to you, instead of making it happen for yourself. It’s not a bad thing. However, when you wake up at 50 years old and played it safe the whole time, what would your life look like if you had been more adventurous?

The second setting within drive is acceleration. You know where you’re going and how you are going to get there. You take risks; you take leaps; you put in the extra work; and your “check engine” light comes on from time to time, but you get seen. Your work roars and so do you!

All I’m trying to do is provide a way for you to look at your career, your body of work, your ability to earn money, and your road to climbing your company’s ladder.

The rule of thumb is that you maximize your earnings between 35 and 54 years old.  This means you should earn the most money between those years, and you should be in drive, maybe even in sixth gear. You do this because eventually, as you age, your gears can shift automatically without your guidance.

All of these gears have a purpose, the right time and place. Which one is going to help you get yours?